How the Ravens constructed their Super Bowl roster

On Sunday, the Ravens play the San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl XLVII, and they will attempt to win their second Lombardi Trophy with a roster largely constructed with homegrown players raised in the Ravens Way.

The vast majority of those players have been acquired in the past five years, though there are a handful of Pro Bowl players and franchise building blocks that have stood the test of time -- including that No. 52 guy.

Here is a quick look at how the 53-man roster the Ravens are carrying into Super Sunday was put together.

--- Six of the Ravens were second-rounders, including outside linebacker Courtney Upshaw and guard Kelechi Osemele, who are both playing significant roles as rookies. Pro Bowl running back Ray Rice was a second-round pick, as were outside linebacker Paul Kruger, nose tackle Terrence Cody and wide receiver Torrey Smith.

--- Three Ravens were third-round draft picks (led by Pro Bowl right guard Marshal Yanda and rookie running back Bernard Pierce). Three were fourth-round picks (the most notable of them is tight end Dennis Pitta). Five were five-round picks, three were sixth-round picks, and two were seventh-round picks.

--- Building their roster primarily through the draft, the Ravens did acquire 15 players in unrestricted free agency, though none were considered major splashes at the time. The list of free agents includes starters in center Matt Birk, cornerback Corey Graham, returner Jacoby Jones, fullback Vonta Leach, offensive tackle Bryant McKinnie, safety Bernard Pollard, and cornerback Cary Williams.

--- The Ravens have traded for just one player, but he’s a good one: they got wide receiver Anquan Boldin out of Arizona in 2010.

--- The Ravens have eight of their own rookie free agents -- not including Ma'ake Kemoeatu, who left and returned as a free agent -- on their active roster, most notably starting inside linebacker Dannell Ellerbe, kicker Justin Tucker and long snapper Morgan Cox. Other undrafted free agents finds include Omar Brown, Josh Bynes, Bryan Hall, Albert McClellan, and Deonte Thompson.

--- Only six Ravens players -- Lewis, Reed, Ngata, Suggs, Yanda, and punter Sam Koch -- were on the roster before coach John Harbaugh arrived in 2008 (they drafted 10 new players that year).

--- Four Ravens -- Lewis, Boldin, linebacker Brendon Ayanbadejo and safety James Ihedigbo -- have Super Bowl experience, though that number will increase by 49 in a matter of six days, won't it?

Each day this week, Baltimore Sun reporter and blogger Matt Vensel will break down a key matchup from Sunday’s Super Bowl. Today, he looks at the challenge of defending Colin Kaepernick and the pistol offense.